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Ultimately, Brett Maxie’s decision to leave Dallas for a job with the Tennessee Titans hinged on the promise of greater autonomy within a defensive system.

Maxie served four seasons as a secondary coach with the Cowboys, splitting coaching duties with Dave Campo, with Campo handling cornerbacks for the most part, and Maxie working with safeties.

With Campo gone, the Cowboys hired Jerome Harrison to step into the role, meaning that Maxie would have remained in a similar role moving forward should he have taken Dallas up on the two-year offer they extended his way after the season--that is, Maxie as safeties coach, Henderson as cornerbacks coach.

Instead, after an interview with Tennessee last week, Maxie opted for a change of scenery and perhaps more importantly, a secondary coaching position that will be all his own.

“That was a big key for me,” Maxie said, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “They got a lot of young talent. It’s a great opportunity for me.”

There’s been no word as of yet if Maxie will be replaced by Dallas, or if Henderson (like Maxie in Tennessee) will run the secondary by himself.